


because the fight needed to be fought

by squireofgeekdom



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, if marvel won't give me bitter Rhodey then by god i'll do it myself, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-29 04:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14465001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squireofgeekdom/pseuds/squireofgeekdom
Summary: "A hundred and thirty eight. A hundred and thirty eight combat missions. That's how many I've flown, Tony. Every one of them could've been my last but I flew them because the fight needed to be fought. It's the same with these Accords. I signed because it was the right thing to do. And yeah, this sucks. This is... this is a bad beat, but it hasn't changed my mind."- James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Captain America: Civil War, 2016A small, angry divergence AU for Rhodey in Infinity War.





	because the fight needed to be fought

**Author's Note:**

> the google doc title for this is "i have to do everything myself bc the russos dont remember how their own movies ended"
> 
> i came home from infinity war and rage-wrote this in one sitting because i've had this bitter rhodey scene in my head for basically the past two years. i'm sorry.

“ - and Tony Stark is still reported missing as the alien ship departed Earth’s atmosphere, leaving behind devastation across New York -”

Rhodey looks away from the TV, and replays Tony’s message.

“Rhodey? Rhodey - hey. I’m - I’m flying towards an alien spaceship and - hey, I’m still sorry about last time, but at least now you can’t say I never call when stuff happens. Turns out I’ve got to rescue a wizard from space squidward, it’s - listen, find Bruce - yeah, Bruce is back - Bruce will tell you -” It’s just Tony’s breathing for a moment. Rhodey squeezes the recorder in his fists. “- it’s - we’re playing for all the cards today, Platypus. It’s - it’s what I talked about, but it’s - it’s not just Earth, it’s the universe, and - and I can’t - it’s what I saw. It’s what I saw. I’m sorry. I’m going to try to come home but if I can’t - I’m sorry. Tell Pepper I’m sorry. Look after the kid for me. I love you.”

Rhodey mouths the last three words of the message along with Tony’s voice. The message clicks off. Rhodey puts his head in his hands. 

The phone rings. He picks up.

“Bruce? Bruce, slow down - tell me where you are, I’m coming to get you.”

\---

“ - I have received intelligence from multiple sources that we’re looking at worldwide devastation. Thanos is looking to cut the universe’s population in half, and if he gets that gauntlet, Earth will go along with everyone else.”

Ross somehow frowns even more deeply. “Where are you getting this ‘intelligence’?”

“From Dr. Stark.” He sighs,  “and Dr. Banner.” 

“Banner is  _ back _ ?” Ross says, “ _ Where is he? _ ”

“Around.” Rhodey says. “Steve Rogers -” He says, and tries not to grind his teeth too hard. “Has been called in, along with the rest of his team. This is an all hands on deck situation, and -”

“I did  _ not  _ give you authorization to call in a bunch of fugitives, Rhodes -”

“Due respect, sir, I wasn’t the one who made the call, but -”

“Then you find those fugitives and you arrest them  _ right now  _ -”

“No.” Rhodey says. 

Ross splutters. “Colonel, you are on  _ very thin ice  _ here _. _ Your signature’s on the accords, you’re not going to sacrifice that -”

Rhodey smiles.

Ross doesn’t know him that well.

_ “You know any one of these guys would walk through fire to have your career? Are you telling me you’re willing to sacrifice that to fly around with a bunch of snake eaters on the off chance you’re going to find your friend in the middle of the desert?” _

And Rhodey says the same thing he said ten years ago.

“I am, sir.”

“You -”

“You’re right, my signature is on the accords. I signed them because it was the right thing to do to hold ourselves accountable, to protect the people we say we’re trying to protect. And I don’t regret it.” He says, one hand on his hip, over his leg brace. “But if I let the people we’re here to protect die because  _ I _ put people who could have saved them in jail - that’s not the Accords I signed.”

“Rhodes - I’ll have you court martialed for this - you’ll spend the rest of your life doing  _ hard labor _ in a  _ pit,  _ you -”

“Consider it done.” Rhodey says, and ends the call.

\---

Rhodey stands with his arms crossed as Steve Rogers enters the room, followed by Natasha and Wanda, and then Sam, supporting Vision - and god, it’s awful, but there’s some small part of him that’s satisfied to finally have a legitimate reason to be  _ angry  _ at Vision. 

“We have a situation,” He says, before Steve can even begin to get a word out. “A ‘universal destruction’ kind of situation. That is the reason - the  _ only  _ reason  _ any  _ of you were allowed through those doors.” He looks at Vision to make his point as direct as possible. “This is more important than any of us, this is all of Earth - this is more than Earth. We need to get this done. But I want to make something very clear: I trust you all far enough to do this, and no further.”

“Jim -” Steve starts.

“It’s Colonel Rhodes.” He snaps, then adds. “Well, since I basically just got court martialed, I should probably get used to Mister Rhodes. The point is -” He continues. “You’re not the leader of any team I’m on,  _ Mister Rogers _ . You gave that up. You all did. I’m not arresting you after this, but don’t any of you think you’re coming back here when we’re done. This isn’t your home.”

Natasha, at least, has the decency to look hurt. Vision looks down, while Wanda, of course, is glaring at him, not that he expected anything else.  

“What,” Sam says, “you get to act all high and mighty? You’re breaking the law just like the rest of us,  _ Mister Rhodes _ , we heard -”

“Yeah,” Rhodey says, “I just got court martialed. It was bad. I’ve got no one in my corner over there. Burned my bridges. Almost every bridge I got,” He continues. “except my family, and you’re standing next to the guy who _left behind_ one of  _ my family  _ with six broken ribs in the middle of Siberia, so  _ maybe keep that in mind. _ ” He says, and looks Steve dead in the eyes. It’s really not as satisfying as putting a fist in his face would be. 

Sam opens his mouth. Sam closes his mouth. 

“You’re here because Tony told me that we’re playing for all the cards today. That this was the day he had nightmares about for six years.” He looks at Wanda, who finally blinks. “He already proved that he was willing to set aside the letter of the law for higher stakes. So am I." He says. "Tony’s a little busy right now, so we have a job to do.”

“But he’s alive?” Steve says.

_ No thanks to you, _ Rhodey bites back. “Of course he is,” He says, because the alternative is unthinkable. “He’s disappeared on me before, it never takes. He’ll come back, and you,” He adds, “won’t be here when he does. Now,” He says, “Come on. Let’s get to work.”

**Author's Note:**

> The exchange Rhodey is thinking of during his conversation with Ross is from a deleted scene in Iron Man 1, http://dailyrhodey.tumblr.com/post/172810034573/youre-really-going-through-with-this-iron
> 
> I had to try really hard not to make a Mister Rogers neighborhood joke in here. Please feel free to imagine your own.


End file.
